Favorite Kata

[still kicking]

I used to train when I was younger, and my favorite kata at that time was Enpi. (My style is Shito-ryu). Now I am back after many years, and have worked my way up to purple belt, which is 7th kyu at our school. I don't know if I'll be able to get Enpi back, because it's really hard on the knees! My current fave is Seinchin. I tend to like katas with dramatic beginnings, I guess, because I also really like Rohai Nidan and Aoyanagi.

[Symphony-x]

snake fist... i think its kung fu. but i could be wrong

[Bushido58266]

i really like bassai dai, wang shu hyung, and chinto hyung

and for weapons i like mahaba bastone inueza which is a philippino staff kata

[swadoryu2000]

Hmm...it would have to be Bassai. Very dynamic kata.

[Electra]

i absolutely love doing gojushiho-sho i'm a first dan shotokan black belt and this kata is just the perfect tournament kata for me

[nanook660]

I do Wado Ryu Karate and my favourite Kata is KIHON KATA and PINAN NIDAN. Those are the only two I know so far. Am slowly being taught SANDAN and SHODAN. The first two Kata are easier. I like them best.

Fran

[sensei8]

Don't be mad and/or hate me but, I love Wankan. Yes, it's short but such a powerful Kata.

[Killer Miller]

Oh I'm Mad and Hate you for that. lol Just kidding of course...

Wankan I didn't much care for. My favorite and primary tournament kata was Gankaku, but I also liked Goju Shiho Sho and Dai a lot... I liked Unsu a lot, but never used it as a tournament kata due to judges would not give a very good score unless near perfect...

- Killer Miller -

Don't be mad and/or hate me but, I love Wankan. Yes, it's short but such a powerful Kata.

[mizu]

I like pretty much all the katas - the ones I know anyway.

I like watching Gankaku, though haven't learnt this one yet - it looks quite difficult, but when done well, looks fantastic.

Actually to perform, I guess the Bassai katas, and Ji'in would be amongst my favourites.

[joesteph]

I don't know that I'd call it my favorite kata, but there's a hyung that I found out from my instructor, who's aces when it comes to forms competition, that's the tiebreaker in my art, Soo Bahk Do, if the judges get stuck.

Of all hyungs, instead of it being an advanced one, it's actually a basic. The name is Ki Cho Hyung Sam Bu, meaning Basic Form Three. As a lower belt, I have to review it regularly. It consists of only twenty-two moves, was developed in 1947 by Grandmaster Hwang Kee, and incorporates parts of the basic forms before it, as well as some moves of its own.

I wonder . . . Is it that this form is so very special because of its component parts, or is it that it's a way for the judges to test dan members that they haven't strayed too far from their roots?